Deliver Him Among Us Without Sin to Heaven
by gungnirburst
Summary: With his village treating him as an outcast not fit to live, Shino is blessed with a rare gift—an angel sent from Heaven to serve and protect him. [ AU. Shino/Naruto. Angel!Naruto. On hiatus. ]
1. The Angel From Heaven

Fanfic Title: Deliver Him Among Us Without Sin to Heaven

Anime: Naruto

Pairing: Shino x Naruto

Author: keadeblue264

Yay my first ShinoxNaruto!! Yeah…I wasn't sure how to shorten it…you know like SasuNaru so I just did it like that. Either someone will tell me what it is or I'll find out eventually. Yeah, I'm not really religious, but I like the idea of angels and stuff like that in stories so I thought this would be cute to try out. I LOVE CUTENESS IN STORIES!! This story is kinda showing how violent people were in the old days to anyone who was different from the rest of them no matter where they are in the world so just go with it. Anyway, I'm not really sure what else to say here so I'm just gonna go ahead and start the story.

Summary: Shino has been mistreated his whole life about how different he is from the rest of the society he lives in, but when he meets a blonde angel sent down from Heaven with a mission to make his life better, will he receive the love he wants from the people around him or will he be lonely forever? AU, yaoi, etc. etc. you get it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the idea of Heaven.

Warnings/Notes: Boy-boy love, AU, the evils of society. You know how they are. Especially in the old days.

Chapter 1: The Angel From Heaven

Water was thrown onto the young man, beads of the liquid dripping down the pale skin of his body and sliding through the threads of his black hair. He sat there on the ground, this treatment like daily routine to him by now. Sticks and rocks were also thrown at him from people in the crowd, but he couldn't really feel the pain of them hitting his flesh anymore.

"Why don't you just leave our land?!"

Another rock hit him on the side of his white face, the area where he was struck already bruising a nasty-looking dark color.

"No one wants you here anyway!"

More water was dumped on him and he coughed violently when it slipped down his dry throat the wrong way.

"You'd be better off dead so why bother living anymore!"

Insult after insult flew at him, but the young man had stopped listening to them. He was used to this by now, but the crowd did something they had never done before. The group of people ganged up on him and started to beat him with either their fists and feet or whatever was in their hands at the moment.

"Please stop it!" a voice shouted from behind the mob.

"But Lady Hinata--"

"I said stop it! Such violence is completely unnecessary! What did he ever do to you?!"

None of the people in the mass really had anything worthy enough to answer her with and they did not want any repercussions for disobeying their lady later. They slowly drifted away from the boy who was clutching himself on the ground.

All except for one man who whispered to him, "You had better be grateful to Lady Hinata for saving you, heathen. But you won't be so lucky next time."

The man walked away after kicking some dirt on the boy's pain wracked body. The young woman who rescued him from the angry mob rushed up to the bloody and bruised boy.

"Are you okay, Shino?" Hinata asked.

Red eyes looked up at her, little to no emotion showing through at all.

"Lady Hinata, I've told you to stop trying to save me every time this happens," the young man now identified as Shino said.

Hinata's pupil-less eyes looked down at the young man sadly. Hinata was the youngest of seven daughters of the lord that ruled over most of the land they lived on and disobeying him or any of his brethren for that matter was punishable by law. Which was the main reason why the crowd backed off. Otherwise, they would have continued to thrash Shino until satisfied.

"I just want to help you. They have no right to treat you like that!"

"I don't want any help…"

Shino sat up from the ground, pain from a cut on his wrist he didn't remember getting making him wince slightly.

"At least let me dress your wounds, Shino," Lady Hinata pleaded, "You can't do that by yourself."

Closing his eyes with a sigh, Shino said, "Alright, Lady Hinata."

Hinata helped Shino up from the dirt, brushing some of the dust off his clothes before walking towards the direction of his home.

"Shino, I've told you time and time again to just call me Hinata," Hinata said, looping the boy's arm around her shoulders for support if he needed it.

"Just because I'm hated by just about everyone in this town doesn't mean I can't be polite," Shino replied.

"Okay I guess. I can't make you change your mind," the young Lady said, furrowing her eyebrows at the boy.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, the townspeople staring at them as they walked by. Most of them thought that there was no point for their young Lady to even bother with someone like the young man, but they knew their place and never once made an attempt to prevent her from doing what she wanted.

The pair stopped in front of a shabby-looking house at the end of the street. It was one of the worst looking houses in the entire land, but to Shino, it was the only home he had ever known.

"You know, I could convince Father to let you come stay at the palace with us," Lady Hinata said after walking into the house and sitting Shino down on a rather neat looking bed.

"I've said this before, M'Lady. I'll be fine by myself," Shino said, removing his shirt.

"I know that, but I wish you would accept my offer," she continued, walking to the bed with bandages and other medical supplies that she had gotten from a cabinet tucked in her arms.

Shino's mind wandered as Lady Hinata began to treat the wounds on his back, arms, and chest. He remembered the first time he had actually met Lady Hinata because it was the first time she had saved his skin. Today wasn't first day he had been treated like he was nothing, but this was the first time the usual crowd of angry people had decided to beat him up. But the day he had met Lady Hinata was also the day he almost died.

Two years ago

He was running from two outraged men, Shino's presence the only thing fueling their fury. Shino ran down alleyway after alleyway, trying to lose the men at all costs. He eventually fell down to the earth when he tripped over a broken bottle.

"It's about time something stopped him," one of the men said.

The other man stood above Shino with a knife he had pulled out of his pocket, its blade glittering in the moonlight.

"Turn him over on his back and hold him down," the man with the knife ordered, the other man following his orders after he said them.

Shino struggled and fought a little bit, but the man managed to pin his arms to the ground while the one with the knife sat on his legs. The boy still tried to release himself from their grip, but he stilled when the man on his legs started waving the knife in his face.

"Now now. There's no point fighting the inevitable so just say still," the man said, sliding the edge of the blade along Shino's cheekbone.

"What do you want?" Shino asked, trying to make it seem like he wasn't scared.

The one who had Shino's arms held down laughed and asked, "Are you really that stupid?"

His partner also chuckled a little before saying, "He apparently is, my friend. What we want is for you to die. It's what the whole town wants so why not just let them have what they want?"

And with that said, the man used the knife to cut a thin line under one of Shino's red eyes. Shino showed no sign of pain, hoping that showing no emotion would discourage his attackers, but it only urged them to continue.

"Oh so you don't show any pain, eh? Well, we'll have you screaming for your life before the night is done," the man on his legs said.

They sustained their assault for hours without ceasing once, their attack more akin to torture than anything else. The pattern of injuries and the harm they inflicted ranged from small cuts to stab wounds and punching him in the face to just flat out beating him.

Three hours into the attack and Shino had thirteen small cuts, twenty-seven puncture wounds, numerous bruises all over his body, and a broken arm, but he never once showed that he was in any type of pain. But he was starting to slip into an unconscious state from blood loss and it didn't seem like his aggressors were anywhere near finished with him. They had come here to kill him and they would strive very hard to succeed.

That's when a female voice yelled out into the alleyway.

"What are you doing to him?! Leave him alone!"

The men turned around to look at the woman who shouted at them and ran away after they saw who it was, neither of the men willing to even try to explain why they were there in the first place.

The raven-haired woman rushed to the bleeding mass on the ground, gasping when she saw it was a young boy.

"Oh my god…Are you all right, sir?" the woman asked, panic-stricken and unsure about what to do or say.

Shino never got the chance to answer because a few seconds later, he passed out, making the woman even more panicky than he realized at the time. Shino awoke about a week later in his house, bandages covering him left and right and pain attacking every cell in his body. He was surprised to see the woman from that night in his home and even more surprised by her outburst of tears when she saw he had woken up at last.

"I'm so glad you're okay," the woman said through her tears.

Shino didn't have the energy to speak so he just stayed in his bed, waiting for her to calm down.

"I'm sorry. I should introduce myself," the woman said after she had finally controlled her tears, "I am Hinata."

Upon hearing her name, Shino felt like he had been a burden to someone as important as her and attempted to apologize.

"Please try not to speak. You've been asleep for a while now and it would be better if you saved your energy. Oh yes and I already know who you are so please just rest for now."

Shino nodded in response and pressed his body down onto the bed, watching Lady Hinata get him water and some food. They spent the next few days together in his house, mostly because Lady Hinata wouldn't even think about leaving until she thought he was better. She said he had almost died in the alleyway and she also said that some of his injuries had caused him to contract a fever while he was sleeping. She also thanked God because she thought that He kept Shino alive, but back then, Shino didn't really think God cared about him at all.

Present time

"Shino….Shino….Shino!"

Shino jumped a little, Lady Hinata's yelling snapping him out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry Lady Hinata--"

"I know. You were thinking. I wanted to let you know that I have finished treating your wounds."

Looking down at himself, Shino saw that she was right. He wasn't as heavily injured as he thought he was, most of the bandages covering a few places on his arms, back, and chest and there was also one covering the cut on his wrist.

"Thank you, Lady Hinata," Shino said, bowing his head slightly.

"Please. There's no need to thank me. I'm just glad you're okay," Hinata replied, a warm smile on her face.

Shino gave her a small smile in return and put his shirt back on. A smile was a rare thing on his face these days and he didn't give them out freely like some people would.

"I'm sorry, Shino, but I have to go back home now," Hinata said.

"Okay."

"All right. I'll see you tomorrow then," Hinata said cheerfully before going out the door.

Shino sat quietly for a few minutes before lying back down on the bed with his legs hanging off the side.

****

An image of Shino on his bed was visible on a pool of water. A man and a younger boy stood side by side near the edge of the pool, looking down at the vision reflected on the water's surface.

"Are you sure you want this case? It will be a challenge," the man warned.

"Of course I do. I've stayed here in Heaven without going back to their world long enough. Besides, I really think I can help him," the boy reassured.

"Well, it is your choice to make so I won't stop you. But you must remember the rules."

"I will. Don't worry about me."

The boy disappeared, leaving the man standing by the water pool.

"I hope you can help him. His future as it stands now is grim," the man whispered before disappearing.

****

Shino groggily opened his red eyes to the darkness in his house. The moon and stars were shining in the blackened sky outside, making Shino wonder how long he had slept. He got off his bed, a bruise on the side of his abdomen suddenly hurting him.

A light shot into his room, making Shino fall over backwards and land on the floor. The light weakened and revealed a tan boy with bright blonde hair and dazzling cobalt eyes. He was wearing a stunning sleeveless white robe, but the pure white wings on his back were the feature that stuck out the most.

The room returned to darkness and the boy's wings faded away. He smiled happily at Shino as he floated to the ground. When his bare feet finally found purchase on the ground, he stepped towards Shino and kneeled down to the floor with his head facing downward.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Master Shino," the blonde said.

"Huh? What?" Shino asked bewilderedly.

Looking up at Shino, the boy continued, "I am an angel sent down from Heaven to help you, Master Shino. I will be your servant until my presence is no longer deemed necessary in your life."

The blonde's smile was still on his face while Shino's face had an expression that was a mixture of confusion, shock, and surprise.

"But I--"

"Oh silly me. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Naruto and I am prepared to do anything you ask of me."

"Whoa! Wait a minute! I don't understand what's going on!" Shino yelled out, his hands clutching the ground.

"Shino-sama…doesn't understand?" Naruto asked, a puzzled look on his face.

They both just sat there, one boy suffering from confusion while the other was shocked beyond belief.

"Okay…so," Shino began, "why are you here again?"

"I am here to make you happy and to be your servant, Shino-sama," Naruto said with a joyful smile on his face.

Shino simply stared at the supposed blonde angel, not knowing what to think or say or do. They say angels are the blessing of God, but when one enters your life unexpectedly, how will it affect the existence you've come to know? Will you be eternally blessed for the rest of your life or will you receive more trouble than you bargined for?

Author's Notes: Yay! I managed to finish this first chapter in two, count 'em, two days! Well, technically, it was more like 6 hours or so, but it spanned out between two days time. That's like some kinda record for me so far. Especially since I'm so friggin' lazy sometimes. But I've found myself getting on the computer more nowadays. Anyways, I hope whoever reads this likes it and I'm sorry about the stuff that happened to Shino! It was essential for the story, but if all the Shino beatings made you want to cut yourself then I guess I did a better job than I thought. Please Read&Review!!


	2. The Blessing From the Angel

Chapter 2 is here, people!! So I was talking to one of my best friends some time ago (he's a gay yaoi fanboy who is overly interested with a majority of my stories, this one included) and he asked me what time period this story is set in and I have no idea whatsoever. I originally thought about setting it in the time of Christ, but I changed my mind when I was about halfway done with the first chapter. If I ever figure out a time period, I'll let you guys know. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or angels…I've had bad experiences with angels in video games…I blame Disgaea: Hour of Darkness for that…

Chapter 2: The Blessing From the Angel

Shino ogled at the blonde boy sitting across from him, having trouble accepting that Naruto was actually an angel sent down from Heaven to serve him. But that was mostly because he had difficulty believing that something like this could ever happen to someone as different and despised as him.

"Is there something wrong, Master Shino?" Naruto asked with his head slightly cocked to the side.

"Ummm. Oh no, I'm fine. But I have a question for you," Shino said, looking at the boy weirdly.

"What is it?"

"Are you going to keep switching between 'Master Shino' and 'Shino-sama'?"

"Well, they both mean the same thing, but I was just trying them out. I wanted to see which one I preferred."

"I see…which one are you going to keep calling me?" Shino asked

"I'll probably stick to calling you 'Shino-sama'," Naruto replied, smiling at the dark haired boy, "Is that okay, Shino-sama?"

"I don't care what you call me…it's not like you'll be staying here for long," Shino said sadly, his head turned down to the floor.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, looking confused.

Shino glanced back at Naruto before returning his eyes to the floor. For him, this had to be some sort of dream or cruel joke. Shino just couldn't easily accept this new, seemingly promising reality.

"Look, I don't mean to offend you or anything, but you've made a mistake," Shino answered.

"Made a mistake? But Shino-sama--"

Shino looked Naruto in the eyes and continued, "There's no way I could deserve something like this. You'd be better off finding someone else who is worthy of your servitude."

"You don't understand, Shino-sama. You weren't just randomly picked. You were chosen to receive this blessing," Naruto stated.

"But how could that be?" Shino questioned.

"Once every hundred years or so in Earth time, an angel is sent out to aid the human who truly needs the grace of Heaven the most. It was commissioned long ago for the angel to serve the human until they were no longer needed in the human's life, after which, the angel would return to Heaven. You were chosen to receive Heaven's blessing and I chose to be the one who would serve you," Naruto explained.

"Wait a minute. You chose to serve me?"

"Normally, God chooses the angel that will serve the human, but I asked Him if I could be your servant."

"But why would you do that? Wouldn't you--"

"You sure are full of questions, Shino-sama," Naruto said.

"Who wouldn't be? I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this," Shino replied, scratching the right side of his head.

The blonde looked at Shino as if he was in deep thought.

"Hmmm. I was told that humans would be initially confused, but I didn't realize it would be this bad. Oh this is my first time serving a human so I guess I'll just have to learn along the way," Naruto said, seeing that Shino was about to ask another question.

"I see."

The two boys sat in silence for a few minutes, each observing the other. Shino was mostly trying to determine if this was just a dream he would wake up from eventually while Naruto was really just waiting for Shino to speak. Naruto never liked to break any type of silence, but it was quickly becoming apparent that he might have to because he felt that something was wrong with his new master.

"Shino-sama?" Naruto called out, breaking the uncomfortable stillness.

"Yes, what is it?" Shino asked, a little startled by the blonde's voice.

"You still think that you don't deserve the blessing of Heaven, don't you?" Naruto asked uneasily.

"A little," Shino answered truthfully, "But how did--"

A sad sigh from the blonde angel interrupted Shino's question. Naruto had an expression on his face that said that he didn't understand, but what really caught Shino's attention was the look in the boy's eyes. He looked as if he about to cry.

"Shino-sama. I want you to really think about the way your life has been so far. I've been watching over you your entire life, but then, it wasn't my place to intervene in human existence. But right now, I can help you in any way that you choose and I really want to help. Do you really want your life to remain like it is when you have the chance to make it better? Don't you want to be happy for once?" Naruto asked seriously.

Shino closed his eyes with a sigh. He truly did want his life to turn into something he could remember fondly instead of his life being something he didn't want to remember at all.

"I do," Shino whispered.

"You do what, Shino-sama? You have to say it."

Shino reopened his eyes and locked them with the blonde's.

"I want to be happy."

Naruto smiled at those words. It was a genuine and unique smile, one that Shino had rarely ever seen on anybody's face. He had seen Lady Hinata smile at him dozens of times, but this smile was different from the ones he had received from Hinata. It was more warm and friendly and above all else, it was happy.

"I'm very happy to hear that, Shino-sama," Naruto said happily.

"By the way, how did you know what I thinking?"

"I felt it. When an angel becomes a human's servant, a bond is formed between them. I can't really read your thoughts, but I can sense your emotions. I just guessed based on the uncertainty I felt from you. Angels are very sensitive to human feelings anyway, but our bond is stronger so I can read more from you."

Shino blushed. The explanation was simple enough, but he had never heard anyone speak the way Naruto did and the way his words flowed made it seem as if he was talking to someone he loved. And that made him embarrassed beyond belief.

"Is there something wrong, Shino-sama? You seem uncomfortable," Naruto said.

Shino's blush subsided somewhat and he asked, "Are you really that naïve?"

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Nothing, nothing. Just forget I said anything."

"But I really want to know what you were talking about," Naruto whined, unknowingly floating in midair while his face was only inches away from Shino's.

"Uhhh. It's really not that big of a deal. Please just get back on the floor," Shino said.

Obviously puzzled, Naruto looked down to see that he was in fact floating in midair. Naruto chuckled as he returned to his original position on the floor.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, Shino-sama. I do that sometimes. I'll try to keep myself under control in the future."

"That's okay. You didn't do anything wrong," Shino said, scratching the back of his head.

"Would you like for me to heal that for you?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"That," Naruto answered, pointing at the bandaged cut on his wrist, "I can also heal the other injuries you have, Shino-sama."

"Oh. So you saw all that today, huh?"

"Yes."

Shino thought on the boy's proposal, mostly wondering if Naruto could really heal his current wounds. Though he did accept Naruto's invite to a better existence, he was still somewhat skeptical on the inside. It was hard to convince himself that something good was happening in his life.

"Sure. Go ahead," Shino finally responded after several moments of silence.

"Okay."

Naruto positioned his hands in front of Shino and closed his cerulean eyes. Light surrounded his body in tiny rivulets at first before eclipsing most of his features. The light ebbed and flowed around him like water before suddenly enclosing around Shino's thin frame. After a few moments, the glow faded away. At first, Shino wasn't sure if anything had happened at all, but he slowly realized that all his pain was gone.

"I also took the liberty of getting rid of all those bandages for you," Naruto said after a moment of silence.

Lifting up his tattered shirt, Shino saw that the blonde's words were true. All of the bandages had disappeared and his wounds had vanished as well, leaving his skin without a trace of its previous damage.

"Umm thank you," Shino said, letting his shirt fall down to its original position.

"It's no problem. After all, I would do anything for you, Shino-sama."

Shino's face heated up with embarrassment once again. Naruto's words attacked him in his brain emotionally and they also had him lowering the wall that normally barricaded his feelings.

"It sure is getting late, Shino-sama. You should get some sleep," Naruto said, looking out the window.

Shino looked outside to see the darkness of the sky. He had no idea how long he had been up since Naruto arrived and for that matter, he wasn't sure how long it would be until the sun came up into the sky.

"I will in a minute, but I have another question for you," Shino said unsurely, his blush multiplying in intensity.

"What is it?"

Shino swallowed nervously, surprised at his own actions. He was always cool and calm and he wasn't much for conversation, but for some reason, he couldn't stop himself from speaking to the angel in front of him. Naruto was innocent to a fault and that innocence was strangely appealing to Shino. But there was something else about the blonde that caught him off guard. He just wasn't sure what if was at the moment.

"How do you…how do you feel about me?" Shino asked with his eyes squeezed shut in discomfort.

Naruto deliberated on this question for a moment. He could feel that his master was uncomfortable with the situation at hand and he felt that he had to choose his answer carefully in order to avoid causing any more awkwardness in Shino.

"Well, I have respect for you, Shino-sama. Most people under your circumstance would have given up a long time ago."

Shino reopened his eyes in astonishment, somewhat surprised at Naruto's answer. He was half excepting for the blonde to say he loved him or something else along those lines. His blush receded a little bit, his embarrassment fading away along with it.

"Oh o-okay," Shino replied.

Naruto nodded in return, sensing some of Shino's discomfort leaving him.

Shino then retired to his bed while Naruto sat in the windowsill. Angels didn't really need a lot of sleep to function properly and Naruto was just content on relaxing once in a while. Shino had drifted off few minutes after lying down, the events of the night had tired him more than he realized.

Naruto watched him momentarily before turning his attention to the stars above him. He remembered the conversation he had had with God before he had actually left Heaven.

_Five hours earlier_

After he had disappeared from God's side at the pool of water, he had gone to the place where he resided in Heaven. He wanted to want until Shino was awake to go introduce himself.

When he got to him home seconds later, he placed his hands on a mirror hanging from a hook on the wall and the image of Shino sleeping on his bed appeared in the reflective glass. A few hours passed while Naruto was waiting, but the angel had plenty of things to occupy his time.

A knock at his door after four hours of waiting snapped him out of his current distraction. Opening the door slightly, Naruto saw Neji, God's personal messenger.

"Naruto, God requests your presence in his chamber immediately," Neji informed before disappearing.

Naruto sighed slightly, wishing that Neji had at least said 'hello' or gave him some sort of greeting. Neji was never one to say more than he needed when it came to delivering messages, especially if it was something important.

Wasting no time, he let out his wings and took flight. Of course he could have just teleported himself to his destination, but flying had developed into a sort of pleasure for him after becoming an angel.

When he finally got to the grand doors of God's chamber, he knocked a few times to signal his arrival.

"You may enter," he heard God's voice say.

Naruto opened the door and shut it behind him before walking to the middle of the spacious room.

He kneeled down to the floor with his head facing downward and asked, "You wished to see me?"

"Yes. We have something very important to discuss."

Naruto raised his head and asked, "What is it?"

"You already know that you have to follow the rules, but since this is your first time as a human's servant, I don't believe that you are aware of your limitations as a vassal."

Naruto shook his head, a worried look on his face.

"It's nothing too serious. Just a power limiter."

"A power limiter?" Naruto questioned, his head turned to the side in confusion.

"Yes. It will hamper your abilities slightly, but its main purpose is to act like a safeguard if you try to break the rules. All angels must wear one when they go to the human world."

_Present time_

Naruto turned his gaze away from the sky. He pulled the top of his robe down a little and ran his fingers across the golden, jewel-encrusted choker on his neck. It took about two hours of constant spells and chants to put the correct limitation in place. For some reason, Naruto needed a different restriction compared to all the other angels who went to the human world, but he figured it was because this was his first time as a mortal's servant.

But even though he had pieced together his own reason for a special limitation, God didn't let on whether that was the cause or if it was something entirely different. Naruto curled himself up in the windowsill, trying to relax his mind and quell the questions that popped up in his head.

The blessing of the angel has been given. But with an unknown set of rules and a unique limitation in place, will the angel be able to serve accordingly or will the limitation God put in interfere in some way?

Author's Notes: Yeah…this chapter seemed chatty to me, especially where Shino is concerned. And I'm sorry about that. I don't really like too much talking. I'm more about description in both reading and writing, but I tried my best. But you have to admit that even Shino would be talkative in that situation. And I realize that Naru-chan said 'Shino-sama' a lot. About 15 times I think. Oh well. And about Neji…yeah I don't know. I just picked him for that role. Oh and I'm sorry you guys had to wait so long for chapter 2. Things kept coming up and I was having a little bit of trouble actually finishing this chapter. Please Review! *puppy dog pout*


	3. The Angel’s Troubles

Chapter 3…yeah… Sorry. I'm still kind of disappointed about the chattiness of the last chapter, but I guess it's too late for me to do anything about it. I hope that I won't do that again. At least where Shino is concerned, but I can make Naruto talk as much as I want so ha! I can't update that often so you guys should just be grateful that you even got a chapter 2 when I had the chance to update. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter that I made my lazy self write…while listening to music by the wonderful, not to mention smexy, Gackt. XDDDDD!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything religious for that matter. I'm an agnostic. And please don't ask me what 'agnostic' means. You're on the Internet, look it up.

Chapter 3: The Angel's Troubles

Morning came to pass rather quickly for Naruto, seeing as how he didn't sleep at all the previous night. There were too many thoughts and emotions bubbling his mind, there was no way he could have slept even if he wanted or needed to. He looked over at Shino to see his new master was still sound asleep in his makeshift bed, his breathing steady and calm. Naruto was familiar with how bad Shino had it, but now that he was observing it in an up close and personal fashion instead of merely looking down from the Heavens, it gave the impression of being a great deal worst.

The blonde angel sighed while he was still perched on the windowsill. He had brought this assignment upon himself with his persistence, but now that everything was over and done with, he had many difficult tasks ahead of him. He knew that Shino wouldn't order him around like he was supposed to be since he was the young man's newly received vassal. He would instead keep Naruto around like a sort of roommate and maybe even a live-in friend given the right opportunity.

But being treated like a servant was not the biggest issue in the grand scheme of things.

The real problem was how he was going to attempt to make Shino's life better. A truly hectic period was ahead for the both of them.

A small sound made Naruto turn his attention back to Shino, who was stirring slightly under his covers before finally sitting up. It's a strange thing to watch as people arise from their sleep sometimes, especially to an angel who rarely had the need to slumber in the first place. Naruto stepped down from the window's ledge, deciding it would be best to refrain from floating until Shino had the chance to properly wake up.

"Good morning, Shino-sama," Naruto said, kneeling down at the foot of the bed out of respect for his master.

"Good morning," Shino said back.

He wasn't used to having a person in his home, much less around him at all when it really came down to it. And that uncomfortable feeling only doubled due to the fact that the boy now living under his roof was not just an angel, but also his servant.

"How are yo--"

"Good morning, Shino! I--oh. I didn't realize that you would have company."

Both Shino and Naruto looked over at the voice's origin to find Lady Hinata standing in the doorway. She was dressed in a beautiful, light blue gown with different types of gold jewelry, including several rings, necklaces, and a tiara that rested on the top of her head. Hinata was never one to dress as extravagantly as her sisters often did, but it was a long-standing tradition at the palace to look and be at their best when there was an event or some kind of celebration taking place.

"I'm not interrupting something, am I?" Hinata asked, taking several steps inside the small home.

"No," Shino answered, stepping out of his bed.

"Oh, okay. So who is--"

"My name is Naruto. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Hinata," Naruto greeted, standing up to face her with a warm smile.

"How do you--"

"I told him about you," Shino interjected.

"I see. Where are you from, Naruto?"

"Why, I'm from the H--"

"The Highlands near the Western Border," Shino interrupted, earning a strange look from Naruto.

If there was anytime Naruto wanted to read a human's thoughts, it was right now. He couldn't read any feelings from Shino because it was like he wasn't feeling a thing. No sadness, no regret, no happiness, not a thing flitted along their bond. He was like a blank page that had yet to be written on, slightly unlike the person he talked to last night, but more like the person he was before Naruto became involved in his life. Naruto was aware that when the connection between an angel and a human initially began that the human could change in character for a while, from the way the person acted to the way they held themselves together.

It was a the preliminary result of the link between the master and the servant being enforced and it was a very well known fact that it could effect any human's behavioral patterns, no matter who they were. Even if they were as stoic as Shino was all the time. And it didn't help that Naruto had felt excited that night either.

"That would explain his tan skin," Hinata said.

"It would?" Naruto asked, his head tilted to the side in confusion.

"But of course. People from that region get a lot of sunlight. You're from there so you should know all about that."

"Lady Hinata, is there any particular reason that you're here so early?" Shino asked, trying to steer the conversation away from Naruto's origins.

"Oh! I almost forgot. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming to the palace with me. Just for today."

Shino didn't respond, but instead chose to give her a questioning look.

Hinata sighed and asked, "You forgot again, didn't you?"

Still Shino did not give a worded reply, trying to figure out what she was refering to.

"It's my birthday, Shino…"

An excited noise made Hinata glance at Naruto, who had the biggest smile she had ever seen on his face.

"That's wonderful!" Naruto said eagerly.

Naruto's otherwise over eagerness made Hinata break out into a smile as well. It had been a long time since she had met a naturally happy person. Most of the people she had encountered lately were either the individuals that would abuse Shino on the street or representatives from bordering lands that visited the palace from time to time. Though she was the youngest of the lord's seven daughters, Hinata was the only one who had actual blood relations to the man and his deceased wife, her other sisters being adopted children from other lands as well as from the land they lived in.

The reason for the adoptions were mostly due to her mother's diminutive fertility rate and that actuality was an unbearable truth to the man and his spouse. That is, until she was born, but the strain of childbirth was too much on her mother's weak body to handle and she died as a result. As such, she would be the subsequent heir should anything happen to her father and it was necessary for her to become acquainted with the lords and other numerous bureaucrats of the supplementary lands as preparation for her future position.

"Well, you certainly are more excited about it than I am."

"Why shouldn't I be? Isn't someone's birthday something to celebrate?"

Angels, whether they were natural born or ascended humans, did not celebrate birthdays because of several factors. They did not age, per se, but rather kept a constant youthful appearance. Even an old human who died and managed to become an angel would slowly regress to the way they looked in their younger years. Most found it trivial to remember the day of their birth with yearly commemoration since they would live forever anyway. But in Naruto's case, it was that he couldn't remember when he was born.

"Yes, it is. And that's why I'm here, Shino. I would like it if you came to the palace to celebrate my birthday with me."

"We've discussed this before, Lady Hinata," Shino said.

Ever since they met two years previous, Hinata was always trying to convince him to visit her home since she would continually stop by his place. And every single time, he would decline her offer. It wasn't as if he wouldn't want to go, but more like he had never actually seen the palace, much less viewed its insides for that matter. He felt that he would be extremely out of place and he lacked good clothing, which would definitely make him feel even more unsuitable when compared to how the other royals adorned themselves.

"Shino, please, just this once. You can even bring Naruto if you like," Hinata suggested, practically on the edge of begging.

Naruto looked over at Shino expectantly. He really did want to go, but it wasn't his place to ask his master to do things. Shino let his shoulders drupe with a sigh. He could see that he wasn't going to be able to talk himself out of this one.

"I'll go," Shino murmured.

"Great! I'm just go inform the guards and I'll be back to escort you," Hinata said, walking out of the house with a small spring in her step.

"…Shino-sama?" Naruto called out.

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you let me tell her where I'm from?"

"I think it would be best if we kept your origins a secret for now. So…if anyone asks just tell them you're from the Highlands near the Western Border. Do you think you can do that?"

"Of course. After all, I have to do whatever you command of me, Shino-sama."

Shino nodded in response. It would take him a while to get used to having someone that would follow his every command and carry out the tasks that were in his best interest.

"If you don't mind me asking, Shino-sama, why were you so hesitant a moment ago?"

"Take a look at me."

Naruto gazed at his master from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Shino himself looked clean, but his clothes were another story. They were grubby and tore with holes in random places throughout the material. Being the most hated boy in town resulted in the destruction of his garments when he was beat, not mention the fact that he had little to no money most of the time.

"O-Oh. Well…if that's what you're considered about, I can give you new clothes if you like."

Shino flashed him a quizzical expression. He was not aware of any of Naruto's abilities, other than healing. Still a little bit uncertain of the outcome, he nodded his head, giving Naruto permission to execute whatever he was planning to do. Instead of there being a lot light, like Shino thought there would be, Naruto simply snapped his fingers and Shino's changed into something completely different. He was suddenly dressed in a black, sleeveless vest with matching color pants and shoes with a long, red strap tied around his waist. Shino looked at himself, almost in shock at how he looked.

"What, do you not like it? I thought that those colors would look nice on you."

"No, it's fine," Shino replied, trying to disregard the comment.

Naruto smiled and said, "I'm glad you like them, Shino-sama."

A gasp turned their interest to the doorway yet again to see that Hinata had returned from alerting the palace guards.

"Oh my goodness! Shino, you look great! Where did you get those?" Hinata asked, circling around the young man to get a better look.

"I gave it to him," Naruto answered in place of Shino.

"Wow! It must've cost a lot. Not many people can afford to buy this type of clothing if they're not from one of the royal families."

What Hinata said was a sad truth. When the War of Nobles, in which the five Great Lords fought over property, ended eighteen years ago, the wealth of the people had slowly diminished to almost nothing. If someone wanted to purchase decent clothing nowadays, they either had to be a merchant, a farmer living in the Highlands near the Western Border, or a member of one of the five royal families. Actually, Hinata was born on the day the war ended, not only marking the date as her birthday, but also as the day the Great Lords made peace with each other and distributed the land equally amongst themselves.

"Anyway, let's go already. There's so much I want to show you," Hinata said, practically dragging Shino out the door by his arm, Naruto not too far behind them.

_10 minutes later_

"Well, here it is," Hinata proclaimed after walking through the gates.

The palace was a grand place with an obvious rich feel to it. The architecture was well built and resilient, symbolizing that it could withstand constant attack and remain standing strong.

"Wow…" Naruto whispered in sheer amazement.

"What are we standing around for? Let's go in already!" Hinata said eagerly, leading the way to the grand doors.

"Shino-sama, you don't seem surprised at this place. Have you been here before?" Naruto questioned.

"No, but I expected it to be pretty big. What about you? Have you not seen anything like this in Heaven?"

"The only thing I've seen that even looks close to this residence is God's chamber."

"What are you two talking about?" Hinata asked once they were inside the palace.

"Nothing really," Shino replied.

"Oooh. You never tell me anything. I guess I don't have to know if you won't tell me. Well, come on. We've still got some way to go before we get to my room."

"Wait a minute," Naruto started, "aren't we supposed to have a party or something?"

"I could if I wanted to, but I just wanted to spent some time with Shino today, and now you too, of course. The only reason I'm dressed this way is because my sisters forced me even though they knew I wasn't going to throw a party."

"Ah…I see."

They started walking to Hinata's room, the trek promising to be pretty long one since her quarters were at the very end of the right wing. The palace walls were decorated with all types of artworks and a variety of carvings and designs along the walls and pillars. That wealthy feel was also applied to all of the rooms, each one decorated differently from the last.

When they were almost to Hinata's room, Naruto stopped and stared at a pair of wooden double doors with intricate patterned etched in the surface.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Hinata asked when she saw that the blonde had stopped.

"What room is this?" Naruto asked, not once taking his eyes off the door.

"That's my father's private study. He should still be in there I think, at least he still was when I left this morning."

"But I thought you said your father always spent time with you on your birthday," Shino commented.

"Yes, he does, but he's been acting pretty strange since last night."

"How so?" Naruto asked, his gaze still locked on the doors.

"Well…he hasn't come out of his study at all and he won't let anyone come in or talk to him. He didn't say a word when I talked to him."

Shino looked over at Naruto, the angel's gaze almost transfixed at the door, the stare not yielding in the least. He walked up to Naruto and grasped the boy lightly on the arm.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Shino whispered, trying to keep his voice out of Hinata's earshot.

"I…I don't know, Shino-sama. The feelings I'm getting from the inside are very dark and unpleasant. I'm not sure if it's the lord or not, but something in that room is giving off negative emotions," Naruto answered lowly.

Shino turned his red eyes to the door, wonder what it was that was making Naruto feel the way he did. He wasn't sure if could sense Naruto's feelings from their bond, but somewhere in the back of his mind, there were small tendrils of fear that were not his own.

"I'm sorry, Shino-sama, but I don't think I can stay here. This feeling is just too overwhelming for me to handle right now," Naruto continued, his hand coming up to cover a part of his face.

Shino looked over at Hinata and said, "I'm sorry, Lady Hinata, but Naruto isn't feeling well. I think it would be best if I took him home. I'm sorry that I put you to all this trouble."

Hinata sighed and then smiled before saying, "It's okay, Shino. That you even came at all is good enough for me. But I'll come with you. Maybe we can come back here later."

Shino nodded and helped Naruto walk away from the room that was affecting him so. With endless thoughts always on his mind, the angel's troubles have only just started to begin. What is the significance of what he felt behind the door? Is it an omen of things to come and, if so, what impact will it have on the angel and the human that he so willingly serves?

Author's Notes: God, I love foreshadowing! It makes you want to figure out what I'm planning to do! Hahahaha! Ahhhh…oh boy. Sorry about that. Antyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It took me a while to actually get to working on it because I wasn't sure what was going to happen. But it's like I've created my own little world here, seeing as how there are so many things here that I made up about the place. Well, there is something unique to be found in every place and time and hey, I don't want this whole story to be about ShinoNaru romance. Please Review!!


	4. A Plot Against the Angel’s Master

So very, very, very sorry for the delay! That's goes especially for you people that get a real kick out of this story! I've been busy lately, but I'm still really sorry!!

Anyway, hewwo! *waves* You know, I really need to start getting all my ideas for these beginning chapters together. I've got part of the middle set up and the ending I have pretty much figured out, but the beginning is kinda like '???' in my head. That's kinda why I made it be Hinata's birthday last chapter. Actually, while I was typing that chapter, I had a sudden brainstorm about something I could add on to the story. Trust me, that whole scene at the door in the last chapter will be very significant in later chapters. Please enjoy this chapter, once again written while listening to Gackt! I friggin' love him!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. But I do believe that I own the little world I've created here so nyah!

Chapter 4: A Plot Against the Angel's Master

"Are you sure you're okay, Naruto?" Hinata asked, feeling his forehead to see if he had a temperature.

By the time they had returned to Shino's home, Naruto was back to normal, but there was a bit of a forlorn look in his blue orbs that made the beautiful irises lose their original shine. He otherwise appeared normal on the outside, but on the inside, he was confused and perhaps maybe even a little afraid. That feeling was like nothing he had ever sensed before and he didn't want to feel it again anytime soon.

Shino was leaned up against a dusty wall, choosing instead to obverse quietly rather than intervene. He often found that, in his case, calmly surveying a situation was a whole lot better than actually voicing his opinion. That moral had been etched into his soul a long time ago and he was no longer inclined to go against it, unless it was absolutely necessary. But that rarely ever happened, considering his social status in the community.

"I'm fine, Lady Hinata," Naruto answered, removing her hand from his head.

"But you looked so sick earlier. You were practically on the edge of passing out."

"I promise that I'm all right. It was probably just one of those things that come out of nowhere. I feel fine now."

"Well…if you're sure…"

Hinata backed off, a troubled look about her countenance. She was always genuinely concerned when it came to the health of others, but the fact that her newfound friend had almost fainted in the middle of the street on the way to their current location made her especially worried for Naruto's well being.

Shino continued to wait patiently in the background, the blinking of his eyes his only noticeable movement. Hinata may be his very good friend, but he wanted her to leave so he and Naruto could discuss what had happened back at the palace in privacy. Naruto could feel this urge along their bond, but he wasn't really sure if it would be right to just make Hinata leave. If Shino wanted to talk as badly as it seemed, there was only one other way to do so without throwing Hinata out the door.

'_If you want to talk, we could do it like this while she's here,'_ Naruto's voice piped up in Shino's head.

On the outside, Shino looked very much surprised to hear Naruto's voice in his mind. He wasn't aware of all the things their bond entailed, but he didn't think mental communication was possible between them.

'_So we can talk like this?'_ Shino asked back in his mind.

_'Yes. Since our bond is just beginning only I can start this kind of link, but it only lasts for a short period of time. Those conditions should change after a while.'_

Shino considered what Naruto told him and frankly, he was a little uncomfortable with their psychological bond. From what Shino could understand, Naruto was able to feel whatever he was feeling, which could be considered weak mind reading, and he was able to hold conversations using telepathy. And, apparently, he would also be able to do the same given the right amount of time. Shino already felt something from Naruto back at the palace so he figured that their connection was already deepening.

"What's wrong with you, Shino?" Hinata asked.

Shino came back to reality to find Hinata staring at him squarely in the face.

'_You looked kind of dazed for a bit,'_ Naruto explained.

"Are you feeling sick, too?" Hinata questioned, her eyebrows furrowing in anxiety.

"No. I was just thinking," Shino replied.

"Oh good," Hinata said, sighing in relief.

Shino only nodded in response to her words and planted his gaze to the floor.

'_I can wait until she's gone,'_ Shino said.

'_All right, Shino-sama.'_

And with that, their mind conversation came to an end, the cutoff making Shino feel a tad woozy. Out of all the things he would have to get used to in their relationship as master and servant, Shino had a feeling that sharing his mind with another person would take the longest. He always kept to himself for the most part when it came to being social, not that he really wanted to socialize with anyone in this town since most either physically and verbally abused him or were afraid to go near him. As an effect from all those years of torment from his supposed peers, Shino couldn't help but place thick layers of protection over his heart, making him almost emotionless when it came down to it.

"Lady Hinata, I'm sorry," Naruto said suddenly.

"For what?" Hinata asked, settling down next to Naruto on the bed.

"It's my fault that we had to come back here instead of celebrating your birthday at the palace."

"Well, that's quite all right. I'll most likely have more birthdays so there will be more chances. You couldn't help it so it's not your fault."

The blonde did feel less guilty because of her words and he showed it with a grin, resulting in a smile from Hinata. As he watched them, Shino wondered if he could ever be emotionally open enough to smile like they did. He was somewhat jealous at how others could just be so honest about what they felt, while he kept himself at a distance in almost all aspects. From what Shino saw, Naruto must have guessed what was bothering him because some of the sadness returned to his eyes and the angel gazed momentarily over at Shino in a questioning manner.

Shino would sometimes forget that behind the all serenity and wisdom held in those angelic eyes, there was still a sensitive, almost human-like part hidden in their depths.

"Anyway," Hinata continued, "just because we're not at the palace doesn't mean we can't have fun."

Naruto visibly brighten up at the idea and asked excitedly, "So what do you have in mind?"

"Weeeeell…"

_Three hours later_

"Tag, you're it!"

Hinata then ran off, laughing while Naruto, whose own laughter also filled the air, was chasing after her. Shino, meanwhile, was propped up against a tall oak tree, watching them play such a childish game in the clearing behind his house. How Hinata had decided to play that particular game he'll never know, but, nevertheless, he chose to stay out of it. He could understand why Hinata wanted to fool around every once in while, considering what her future role would entail. She had removed all of her jewelry before they started, but her most likely expensive dress was getting dirty from running around and sometimes falling in the dirt.

"Oh, come on! Are you sure you don't want to play?" Hinata asked Shino, panting slightly from the exertion involved in the game.

"No, but perhaps you should rest for a bit? It's been over an hour since you took a break," Shino informed.

"Oh, all right, Shino," Hinata conceded, sitting down under the shade the tree provided.

Naruto also sat in the shade, trying to get the dust off his once clean robe. Though they had been scampering around for most of the past three hours, Naruto never once appeared tired or even out of breath, which made Shino wonder how much endurance an angel had. Hinata looked up at the sun, sighing when she saw its placement in the sky.

"I had better start heading home soon. Everyone will be worried if I don't."

"Would you like one of us to accompany you, Lady Hinata?" Shino asked.

"Well," Hinata started, already putting her jewelry back on, "I guess I don't mind."

"All right then. I'll go with--"

"Is it okay if Naruto goes with me?"

Shino was slightly surprised by the request, but otherwise didn't mind in the least.

He looked over at Naruto, who just smiled up at him and said, "I don't mind."

"Then it's settled! I'll be ready as soon as get all this stuff back on. And get some of this dirt off my clothes," Hinata said, looking down at herself.

_Ten minutes later_

Waving at Shino before exiting his home, Naruto and Hinata made their way towards the palace for the second time that day. It was quiet for a few minutes as they walked side-by-side, Hinata appearing as though she was lost in thought.

"Is there something wrong, Lady Hinata?" Naruto asked, taking in her expression.

"Well, to be completely honest, there is something bothering me," Hinata replied in a soft tone.

"Is it something else about your father?"

"That's part of it, but not the only thing. I need to talk to you about Shino."

"I'm listening."

Hinata returned to being silent for a short time, as though she need to collect her thoughts.

"I don't know how much you know about Shino," she started, "but he's had it pretty rough. You see, two years ago, when I first met him, he almost died."

Naruto remembered watching that night using the mirror in his room. It had been a terrible experience, not only for Shino, but it had affected him deeply as well.

"He hasn't come that close to death ever since, but I'm worried about him being alone all the time. And I know that I can't always be there to help him when he needs it."

The angel then felt sadness coming at him in waves, most of it from Hinata, but he also felt melancholy himself.

"That's why I want to know if you'll be there for him when I can't. Can you promise to protect him?"

When Hinata requested that, they were standing in front of the palace gates, the guards ready to open them for Hinata.

"Of course I can do that," Naruto answered, a sympathetic look in his eyes.

Hinata smiled, taking off one of her bracelets and handing it to Naruto. It was a gold bracelet with a stone in it that perfectly matched the color of the blonde's eyes.

"I want you to hold onto this. As a token of our promise," Hinata said.

Naruto slid the band on his wrist, marveling how the gold sparked in the light. He gave her a warm smile in return and Hinata nodded at the guards to open the gate. Stepping through them, she waved at the angel and walked away with the guards by her side.

Naruto stood in the same spot and watched her move towards the gate before he lowered his eyelids. He knew from the very beginning that this job wasn't going to be easy, but had this feeling he couldn't shake away from his being, that something bad was about to happen in the near future. Angels couldn't normally view the future, but what they could feel, and sometimes see, were more along the lines of premonitions.

He then felt the same emotions he had felt several hours previous, only greater in intensity. Naruto hadn't noticed it before because he was distracted, but now it was coming at him at full force. It was like someone was directing all this malevolence at him, making his body weak and his head throb. He glance up to see a lone figure dressed in black standing on top of the palace's tallest tower. At first he couldn't tell who it was, but as he continued to look on, the blonde was overcome with fear when he figured out the identity of the individual. The figure smirked as he watched Naruto run away before disappearing in a black haze.

Naruto ducked into an alleyway as far away from the palace as his feet would carry him. His breath coming out in ragged bursts, he slid down the wall until he was sitting on the ground.

"I…never thought…I'd ever have to…see him again," Naruto said to himself through his pants.

He felt very exhausted and scared and he didn't want to faint in the middle of town. Naruto was determined to make it back to Shino's, but he couldn't trust his feet to the task. That's when he saw a broken mirror leaning up against the wall.

****

Shino was lying quietly on his bed when Naruto's body fell out of the mirror on his wall. His form was limp and he looked as if he was in immense pain. He rushed over to the fallen boy, his hand placed gently on Naruto's back.

"What's wrong, Naruto? What happened?" Shino questioned.

The angel only gasped for air before passing out, his sweating body flat on the floor.

****

"Why should I believe that what your telling me is true?" the lord asked the mysterious figure who had settled into one of the corners of his study.

The room was dark, not a single candle lit in the entire space. Only the faint glimmers of sunlight through the window's thick curtains provided some luminosity. But the figure's form had blended in perfectly amongst the shadows, so much so that it made the lord wonder if he was even in the room in the first place.

"Have you not noticed?" the figure asked, "She's been squandering a great deal of time outside the palace and even more of it with that boy."

"I see no real harm in my daughter socializing with the locals. It will allow her to be a benevolent, friendly rule when her time comes."

"That may be so, but he is no ordinary local. Every moment your dear Hinata spends with him lays on corruption after corruption. If this is allowed to continue, your sweet daughter will only be a shadow of who she once was."

This statement did surprise and instill some fear into the lord, but he still had his doubts. He couldn't imagine his Hinata being anything less than what she was, even in his wildest dreams. And it sounded all the more ludicrous coming out of the mouth of a stranger whose very name was still not passed out to him. A stranger who, to be perfectly honest, implanted an uneasiness within him that just wouldn't leave.

"I don't see how one boy could do so much damage," the lord replied.

Though the lord could not see the figure in the obscurity of the dark room, he could almost feel that the stranger in his company was smirking at him.

"I thought you cared more for your last blood relative. Isn't she more special than some street urchin? The future could spell out great things for her…if only her father was more concerned."

"You dare insult me when I was the one who let you in my palace in the first place?!"

The lord heard a soft chuckle escape from the figure, but that alone was enough to send a chill down his spine.

"I beg your pardon, my lord. I was just going through a possibility. However, even a possibility can become a reality if the right factors are put into play."

The lord was lulled into silence. Even though he hardly trusted the stranger that was in his study, the words he offered to him had some sense laced in them and their spell-like quality commanded him to listen, if not obey.

"But," the figure started, his eyes stared to pulse a deep red light, "you have the ability to can change this outcome. You can save the only thing you have left of your beloved wife."

The lord took on a sad expression at the mention of his wife. Though it had been eighteen years since she had died, he was still very distraught about the unfortunate death of his beautiful wife, the only partner he had ever had. The lord looked up above his desk at the painted portrait of his wife, his Azuria.

"Azuria and Hinata look so much alike…it's enough to make you wonder…" the lord mused to himself.

"You must take a stand against this boy before it is too late to safe your daughter from the threat he poses," the figure said.

The lord looked into the flashing red eyes of his guest and asked in an almost trance-like voice, "What should I do?"

"Imprison and kill the one known as Shino. But I must warn you to not act quickly. The boy will be protected by something that is above your understanding and you will falter if you don't pace yourself. I will let you know when to strike. …Do you understand?"

"Yes…"

With another smirk on his face, the figure let his gaze be lost to the darkness. His eyes stopped their flashing and he couldn't help but wonder how the coming days were going to be. A plot has been set against Shino and there are upsetting times ahead for the angel and his master, but how does this mysterious newcomer know so much about them and why is he so fixated on ending Shino's existence? Or is there another motive behind his schemes?

Author's Notes: Boy, do I love cliffhangers! I just enjoy making people squirm! XD! Actually, when you really think about it, there were 2 cliffhangers in this chapter so ha! Ok, so about Hinata and Naruto playing tag. Well, I guess you can think of it as a kind of comic relief and/or as a moment of peace before an oncoming tragedy. It's good to get those kinds of moments in beforehand because there is some serious stuff about to go down pretty soon and well…let's just say I'm mentally preparing myself to be yelled at by Shino fans/ShinoNaru fans when it all comes out. Hell, I've already been ranted at by one of my friends because I've told him what was gonna happen. His reactions always make me laugh. What can I say? I find another person's outrage at what I am writing about to be funny. Please Review!


	5. The Angel Dreams of Disaster

I'm soooo sorry! I lost my touch with this story for so long and it all started with a really anal review I got. I almost lost the will to continue the story and I thought about quitting for a bit. And it also didn't help that I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter. Why, I'm not really sure. But I won't be deterred from finishing this story no matter what! It would be wrong of me to leave you guys hanging like that. And I got on a good roll with finishing updates and new stories (after suffering from a serious block for a while and other problems) so I decided to put my nose to the grindstone and work on this. Music is what really got me to write again and destroy that damn block. Thank you, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR, for helping me with this story. ^_^! Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. …The wishes of a fangirl…

Warning: This chapter contains some graphic images. Just so you'll know beforehand.

Chapter 5: The Angel Dreams of Disaster

Hinata stepped into her palace home, practically skipping with elation, her mood very much uplifted. All things considered, she figured that today was one of the best days of her life so far, although she was mainly happy about the promise she made with Naruto. She felt as though Naruto could protect Shino in her stead, albeit they had only just met several hours ago. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something about that boy that seemed otherworldly and mysterious. He appeared human enough on the outside, but the pure gleam in his cerulean hues suggested otherwise.

Either way, she trusted him enough to keep watch of her friend's well being and she wasn't about to take it back anytime soon. A promise was a promise after all and Hinata had a feeling that Naruto would have taken heed of Shino anyway even if she hadn't brought it up. They seemed pretty close, at least considering how Shino had been severely mistreated and outcast by the other townspeople.

A burden had been lifted off her shoulders and she was highly grateful for being revealed of some of the pressure. But even so, having Naruto protecting her friend would not solve the problem. She had to pull her own weight as well to hopefully stop her people from acting so violently towards another human being, who had never wronged another individual in his life so far.

There must be some logical reason for them to be so violent, but she couldn't figure it out for the life of her.

Hinata was just about to open the door to her chamber when a male servant rushed towards her, panting slightly from his possibly long trek from wherever he came from in the castle. He stopped to catch his breath for a moment before bowing down lowly.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Lady Hinata," the vassal began, "but your father requests your presence in the throne room."

Giving the servant an odd and questioning look, Hinata followed him to the throne room, located approximately in the middle of the castle. She wondered what it was that her father wanted with her now since he hadn't even bothered with speaking to her all day. But inside, she was praying that this was a sign that her father had gotten over what was troubling him so. If he was feeling better, the reason why could go forgotten in her mind.

She felt that she had a close bond with her father and vice versa, being that she was his only blood relative as well as looking so similar to her deceased mother.

Once arriving to the throne room, the elegancy of the heavily garnished room filled her eyes, her father sitting comfortably in his royal chair.

The finely etched gold structure of her father's throne and the velvet padding spoke volumes about their family's immense wealth, though, in truth, Hinata could live without the advantage of money if it ever came down to it. She was never really a person that put material belongings over everything else in her life, finding personal value to be more substantial than how much money and possessions a person had to their name. Which was mostly why she had come to befriend Shino so quick.

Despite being quiet most of the time, he always meant well, even when it concerned his attackers. He had never once struck them back for hurting him or condemned them for it. He took everything in his life with such stride, but not wanting to have the help of others was a major setback. Hinata felt especially obligated to show Shino that he could rely on others when he needed to, being that she was the first one to ever show him the kindness he rightfully deserved.

"Good day, Father," Hinata greeted, bowing slightly with a joyous smile on her face.

He smiled in return, not appearing ill or distressed in the least bit. And Hinata smiled all the brighter for it, happy that her father appeared to be in high spirits.

"First off, I congratulate you on your eighteenth birthday, my dear daughter."

"Thank you very much."

He nodded and continued, "Secondly, it is my understanding that you have been harboring…questionable…company as of late."

"Whatever do you mean, Father?"

Hinata felt more than confused. Besides her family members and Shino, she hadn't socialized with others in the past few months, at least concerning the people she knew the most. Though she had met with the officials of other lands many times, Hinata had yet to understand them on a more personal level.

"That boy who lives at the very end of town."

Hinata laughed a little before saying, "Oh, that's ridiculous. Shino is a very kind person."

Her father sighed heavily and closed his dark eyes. Hinata could see the faint lines of disappointment etched into his features, his lips forming a grim line and his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"I'm afraid it's not as you believe, my dear."

"What are you talking about?"

Hinata was fearful for what her father was about to say, but she knew in her heart that he had the wrong impression of Shino. Whatever it was that he felt about the young boy had to be wrong or brought on by the discrimination he suffered from on a daily basis.

The lord opened his eyes and said, "He is corrupting you."

"What?" Hinata asked, surprise lacing her tone.

"He is not to be trusted, Hinata."

"That's not true!"

Her father rose out of his seat abruptly, anger highlighting in his eyes and face. Hinata had never seen him look so furious at anyone before. He was usually a very kind and understanding man, but this person before her was not like the father she held dear.

"You are forbidden from seeing him again!" he shouted at her, "Not that it will matter after long. I've sentenced him to be detained in the dungeons and then executed."

Hinata gasped in horror before yelling back, "But Father! You are mistaken! He has done no harm to me!"

"Guards!"

Three men appeared from the throne room enterance, bowing in front of their lord then standing up straight.

"Take my daughter to her room. And make sure she does not leave until I say otherwise."

The men grabbed Hinata and she began to struggle against them, trying to not let them keep hold of her. Her father was incorrect about Shino's character and she had to communicate this to him, even if it meant that she would be imprisoned in her own home. The guards finally got a good grip on her and processed to drag her out of the room.

"Father, please! Don't do this! He hasn't done anything!" Hinata pleaded, still attempting to free herself.

Her voice faded the farther way the guards took her, becoming but a dull echo off the sturdy palace walls.

The man sighed again, settling back down on his gold throne, hands clutching the armrests. He had never been so strict with Hinata and it was saddening him greatly. But if what the stranger told him was true, then it had to be done for her own sake. He was not planning on losing his precious daughter to the ills of untrustworthy people, whether they lived in his settlement or not. She was his only kin and her life was far more important to him than anything else in the world.

A shadow appeared in the far side of the grand room and the man knew who it was without question.

"Are you sure that was the correct action to take?" the lord asked quietly.

"Of course. Detaining her in own chamber instead of down in the dungeons-"

"That's not what I meant. If she and that boy are as close as you make them seem, then how do know that she will not try to escape?"

The figured laughed darkly in his throat, sounding like a soft rumble deep in the lord's ears. And though he couldn't see it because he wasn't facing the presence, the stranger's eyes were once again pulsing with a deep red glow. He was smiling in the most sinister way possible, obviously enjoying the events unfolding before him with a perverse delight.

"Trust me. I've already taken care of it. Now, have you captured the boy yet?"

The lord shook his head and answered, "Not yet. Some of my men are about to go apprehend him."

"Very good," the figure said before disappearing, a soft chuckle sounding after he vanished.

Hinata awoke a few minutes later, having been knocked out by the guards who had carted her away. She was shocked at her father for not only doing this to her, but also for choosing to imprison Shino over virtually nothing. She stood up, her legs wobbling slightly with the movement, and tried to open the door. As she guessed beforehand, the exit was locked tight with the guards most likely on the other side, waiting to capture her if she attempted to escape from her prison. Hinata backed away from the door, looking around for another means of running away.

"I've got to get out somehow… I've got to warn Shino," she said determinedly to herself.

She strolled over to one of the closed windows, but before she could open the latch, a painfully sharp shock went through her whole hand, travelling all the way up to her elbow. Hinata cried out in pain, falling to the floor and clutching the arm to her chest.

For a moment, she felt absolutely helpless and sad. But she had to remain strong, not only for herself, but for Shino as well. If anything, he needed the strength warranted by her resolve far more than she did.

Hinata stood up once more, ignoring the burning pain in her arm and picked up the large wooden chair from the far right corner, holding the two of the legs tightly in her hands.

_Naruto opened his eyes to find himself floating above the town. Rain was pouring down heavily, so much so that some of the liquid was seeping through cracks and holes of the homes and buildings around him, flooding them from the outside and possibly damaging the objects inside._

_From what he could see, there was no sign of life to be found anywhere, the streets completely bare and desolate of anything remotely alive looking. No sound met his ears, other then the heavy pelting of rain on the ground and plated rooftops._

_Something was wrong with this scene; he could feel it cutting deeply into his flesh, but what it was he couldn't be sure of. The usual liveliness of the townspeople was completely and utterly gone, replaced with the despondency of slowly climbing rainwater and dark skies._

_He closed his eyes and concentrated on finding the aura of anyone that may still be alive somehow. But all he felt was a horrible malevolence, the same kind that had made him pass out from how intense it was. It was bleeding almost effortlessly throughout his senses, overflowing into his body like liquid fire under his tan skin. Snapping his eyes open, he tried his best to block it out of his mind, lest he faint again. Such burrowing maliciousness was too much for him to handle, especially with his power limiter still active._

_The blonde landed on the ground softly, the water feeling extremely cold on his bare feet. In the direction of the palace, Naruto could vaguely distinguish a person laying motionless on the soil. The wind picked up profoundly as he tried to walk towards them to see if they were still breathing. His steps were struggled with the gale blowing at him, but he managed to reach the person._

_Naruto turned the figure over, eyes widening in shock over whom it was. His human master Shino was lifeless under him, red orbs indistinct and unresponsive, the blood gushing out from his stiff frame being carried away by flowing water. His tattered clothes were drenched with rainwater and the crimson fluid that gave him life, a large puncture wound in his chest, as if some form of blade had been plunged through his very heart._

_The blonde was overcome with dread, but he stayed calm for the moment. Placing his hands over the large wound, a white light sparkled brightly over the injury, trying the heal it. He wasn't sure if Shino was still alive, but he had to at least try to save him._

_"N…Naru…to," a female voice called out weakly from behind him._

_Turning around to the voice, he saw Hinata stumbling towards him from only a few feet away, hand clutching her bleeding right side. She continued to stagger to him, her expression desperate and pained, almost falling down to the wet dirt in the process. Naruto ran to prevent her from falling, but before he could catch her, however, she faded away to nothing._

_And when he faced the direction of the place he was kneeled previously at, Shino was gone as well, only his blood being left behind._

_The wind howled horribly around him and thunder struck somewhere behind the palace, the sound piercing his eardrums. The rain fell down harder on Naruto, the droplets almost feeling like tiny blades cutting his skin._

_A presence of darkness settled behind him and when he twisted around to face it, he found the face of the shadowy figure that was perched on top of the palace that day staring right into his eyes, irises beating deep red and full of hate. Naruto wanted to scream out in fear and anguish, but his voice was lost in his throat. He found himself immobile and everything faded to black as he felt freezing hands wrap tightly around his neck, applying a deadly pressure that allowed not a single inhalation to pass into his lungs._

_Everything around him was dying away to the evil that a person from his past was inflicting upon the land. And he wanted both Shino and Naruto to die painfully, along with the people—innocent or otherwise—living on this land. His immoral nature viewed by Naruto's mind's eye was cloudy and brewing dark, very much like the storm that was threatening to erase this town off the face of the planet._

_"Do you remember the day we died together?" the figure asked._

_The dark man tightened his grip, a chocked sound emitting from the blonde's throat._

_"You abandoned me that day... And I won't ever forgive you for it."_

_In his fading vision, Naruto saw the palace burst into glowing flames and he could hear the chilling laughter of the one who was choking the very life from his body._

_"Everyone you hold dear will pay for what you did to me, Naruto. I swear it."_

Naruto jerked up with a harsh gasp, his breathing erratic and harsh. He was covered in sweat and his head was pounding with a newly formed vigor than before.

Premonitions usually weren't that livid nor did they take out such a toll on an angel, unless they were forced upon them by the will of God. This was a warning sign of was to come for them and he needed to be prepared to defend Shino at all costs. But at the same time, he wondered why Hinata was depicted in his vision. Regardless of the circumstances, he was willing to protect her from peril as well. She had her own appointed destiny to meet before dying, as did every living creature.

Naruto looked around the small home quickly, not finding Shino anywhere on his property. His master was not even present in the dry expanse behind his home and the blonde could only back up against the wall to steady himself. Shino was missing and he could only assume the worse had already happened to his charge.

"Am I already too late?" Naruto asked himself quietly.

He couldn't tell how long he had been incapacitated, but that didn't matter at the moment. He had to find Shino quickly and at first he tried to find his presence through their mental link. But some other force was blocking them, most likely the dark force that had settled into the palace. Without having the psychological bond at his disposal, finding Shino would be much more difficult.

Naruto felt a little helpless without being able to locate or talk to Shino mentally. He breathed in slowly then back out, eyes closed and expression as calm as he could make it. No lines showed on his countenance as his blue orbs came into view again.

_'No, I must be strong,'_ he thought to himself.

Becoming frantic would not help him in this situation where time meant everything if he was going to trace his master's precise location. He could handle it if he was captured or hurt; it was only a matter of using his abilities, even if they were hindered to a certain degree.

Rising off the ground slowly, Naruto then took flight above the town; anxiously searching for the lost Shino in the best manner he could think of using.

The angel's dream leaves him shaken and more aware of the coming days. But is there any way for him to stop the demonic force before his premonition comes true? Or is it already too late to intervene in the plans of destruction?

Author's Notes: Welp…there you go. It took a long time, but better late than never. But that was kinda graphic, no? Aw well, that's how it came out and how I wanted it to be. And once again, I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I'm having to sort through some things in my life and I've been in a rather angsty and depressing mood lately. I won't get into it here; it'll take too long to explain. But my goodness, I feel old. My birthday came by several months ago and I told a friend of mine, "I'm officially 19 years old, but I feel much older." Then she made a crack about me being 91 and we laughed it off. She makes me feel so much better when I'm downtrodden by stuff in my life. Please Review!


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